As a kid, growing up, I always dreamed of climbing mountains. Not just those tiny hills. I wanted to hit the big ones. You see them from time to time on the news, with news of climbers scaling the highest of their heights. You notice them on postcards, on scenic wallpaper, on posters, on mostly anything which involves a design related to nature. But have you ever desired or even dared to climb one of them?

I have.

One such mountain is Mt. Pulag in the Philippines. With the beautiful scenery, and breathtaking view at its peak, it's no wonder people continue to go there every year. I honestly love it. The only thing that I found quite annoying was lugging an extremely heavy backpack (considering I'm underweight at 100lbs).Apart from that though, my experience of climbing it was amazing.

So now you're wondering perhaps, "Enough with your story, how or earth can I start climbing those damn mountains successfully?" "Where should I start?" "What should I do?"

Well first of all, you need to prepared both physically and mentally. You can do this by exercising quite often to train your mind to bare with the stress of climbing. It's not at all easy, I tell you. It requires hard work, and a lot of sacrifices in terms of time and effort. Without it, one will easily give up on the trail.

You have to have the physical endurance to make it to the peak and back. This is because for some mountains it may take extremely long hours to get to the top, and even longer to get back (in times of erratic weather). Thus, you have to be prepared for its physical demands.

Second, you need to learn basic survival tips. You can get full details on this from other informative sources such as climbing books and manuals, or from the nearest mountaineering clubs (such as the Loyola mountaineers) in your area. Learn how to cook your own food, to set up your tent, to clean yourself when those calls of nature happen.

These will come in very handy in the duration of your climb, as well in times of emergency. One cannot rely solely on the skills of his or her co-mountaineer. You have to learn how to survive on your own as well.

Third, bring lots of food but not to the extent of being superfluous. Most of the time, climbers get hungry on the trail and energy bars just won't solve your hunger. It's best to be always ready for these instances.

Fourth, listen to your team leader. Not following him may lead to various mistakes which could prove dangerous to both you and the team. Remember, one can never be a hundred percent safe and secure in climbing mountains, but you can minimize the possibility of error by merely following the head of your team. Being experienced, he or she would most likely know what to do given different circumstances.

Fifth, buy good and sturdy gear which you will use for the trip. As word of warning, lousy brands and cheap apparel DO break under pressure. It would be wise to invest in quality material which will guarantee you some level of safeness.

Indeed climbing mountains is a very hard task. But with these tips I hope you will be able to do it successfully. I also hope you'd enjoy climbing as much as I do.